Cellular immune correlates of clinical severity in oral lichen planus: preliminary association with mood states.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated cellular immune and psycho-immune dysfunctions in patients with erosive and non-erosive oral lichen planus (OLP) lesions.


METHODS
Patients with erosive or non-erosive OLP were screened at the UCLA Dental Clinic. The profile of mood states (POMS) was administered. T lymphocyte subpopulations were monitored by dual fluorescence. T lymphocytes were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) for assessment of markers of activation by flow cytometry and of interleukin (IL)-2 production by ELISA. Plasma cortisol and neopterin levels were assessed by radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
Circulating T cells that express the cluster of differentiation no. 4 (CD4+) but devoid of the CD45RA marker, and POMS score were significantly associated (r = 0.83, P < 0.05) in the patients we studied. We found a significantly higher (P < 0.05) per cent and absolute lymphocyte numbers of circulating CD4+CD45RA- cells in the OLP patients with erosive lesions, compared to OLP patients with non-erosive lesions. The ratio of CD4+ CD45RA+ over CD4+CD45RA- cells was significantly (P < 0.05) biased toward the CD4+CD45RA- subpopulation in OLP patients with erosive lesions (ratio = 0.19 +/- 0.09) compared to patients with non-erosive OLP lesions (ratio = 0.47 +/- 0.15). The expression of CD54, but not that of CD69, was significantly blunted (P < 0.05) in OLP patients following CD3+ cell stimulation. IL-2 production and plasma neopterin were normal in these patients. There was no correlation between plasma cortisol and T cell populations.


CONCLUSIONS
We find fine differences in psycho-immune interactions between patients afflicted with non-erosive OLP lesions compared to those with erosive OLP lesions.
Chiappelli
F
F
Laboratory of Human Oral & Molecular Immunology, UCLA School of Dentistry 90095-1668, USA.
Kung
M A
MA
Nguyen
P
P
Villanueva
P
P
Farhadian
E A
EA
Eversole
L R
LR
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation; D011581:Psychological Tests; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets
D015703:Antigens, CD; D007376:Interleukin-2; D019798:Neopterin; D006854:Hydrocortisone